


Oh What A Night, Late December

by VulpixSinistre



Category: H.I.V.E. Series - Mark Walden
Genre: Gen, prompt list, short unconnected stories
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:42:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27924730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VulpixSinistre/pseuds/VulpixSinistre
Summary: Various characters enjoying the month of DecemberFrom the December prompt list from @creativepromptsforwriting on Tumblr!Will update tags/characters as I go
Comments: 19
Kudos: 9





	1. Starry Night

At last, a quiet moment at H.I.V.E. 

Raven had returned a few hours ago, fresh off the energy of a mission and ready for more, but there was nothing more to be done. She had marched into Nero’s office, katanas in hand, eager for her next assignment. He had only shook his head and smiled, telling her to relax, that she deserved it. 

She went back to her room for a shower and a nice hot drink. She collapsed onto her bed and wondered what to do next. Sleep? No, her mind was still racing far too much. Train? Her limbs protested, the day’s events catching up to her body. So, what now?

Moments like these didn’t happen often for Raven. Having free time she should be using to rest, but being far too amped up to sleep. She sighed, tilting her head over on the pillow to check the time on the digital clock: almost midnight. 

A thought popped into her head. How clear the sky had been through the Shroud’s windshield on the ride back. She hummed thoughtfully, then stood with a groan at the ache in her muscles. 

Raven gathered her materials. A soft knitted blanket, a small pillow, a thermos of hot chocolate, and binoculars. Then she crept through the silent hallways, out the doors of the Shroud bay, and swiftly climbed up the side of the volcano. When was the last time she had climbed a mountain for fun and not business, she thought to herself. Maybe never. 

Now almost at the top, she spotted a ledge a few feet ahead and swung up onto it. Flat, and more than enough room for a person to stretch themselves out on. And that’s what she did, propping herself up on the pillow against the wall of rock and covered herself from the chilly night air with the blanket. The binoculars she set at her side and the thermos she held in both hands and hugged against herself for an extra spot of warmth. And she looked up. 

Still not a cloud in sight. The night sky stretched on endlessly, filled with brightly twinkling stars. Much clearer than any view from the light-polluted cities she found herself at. As far as she could see, the only lights now came from up above, shining down on her and reflecting off the ocean. 

Beautiful. Even more so because of how rare it was that she could stop and appreciate beauty. 

Raven lay there, sipping her cocoa, and searched for the constellations she knew. She picked up the binoculars for a closer look, and to watch a few seabirds flapping among the waves. The stars blinked down at her, she did the same to them, and she felt calm. 


	2. Baking

Nero gently tapped an egg against the side of the bowl. And again. And again. He tried once more, a little less gently, and it cracked open all over the side and dripped yolk onto his hand and the countertop. He cursed under his breath and grabbed for the dish towel to wipe it up. 

It wasn’t his first attempt at baking a cake, but it had been a while, and he very much wanted this one to turn out well. He picked up another egg and tried again. This one went much easier, with only a few crumbles of egg shell falling into the bowl, which he picked out with ease. The next few eggs cracked even better, and before he knew it, he had a bowl full of seven perfect eggs and- oh, the recipe only calls for four. He cursed again for getting carried away and attempted to spoon some out into another dish. 

Now that the eggs were taken care of, he moved on to the other ingredients, painstakingly measuring out the exact amounts needed and pouring them very carefully into the bowl. He mixed it by hand until the batter was completely smooth, and tipped it out evenly, slowly into the pan. He slid the pan into the oven - preheated well beforehand - and requested that HIVEmind set a timer. 

While waiting for the cake to bake, Nero flipped through a few more articles and recipe books to do some last bits of research on decorating. Fondant vs frosting, how to properly apply icing, etc. He knew to wait a while until the cake cooled to start decorating, but beyond that, he wasn’t very knowledgeable on the subject. 

The ding of his Blackbox made him jump, and he raced over to the oven before the cake burned. 

* * *

Raven walked briskly towards Nero’s quarters, concerned about whatever it was he had called her in for. She was already calculating what to do based on a few possible scenarios. She had a bag packed, she could be ready to leave in mere minutes, her katanas were already at her side, like always…

She knocked firmly on his door a few times and waited. When it slid open, Nero stood right there in her way, almost as if to block her view of the room. 

“Natalya. Good, you’re here.”

“What’s wrong, Max?” she asked, getting straight to business. 

He hesitated for a moment. “Close your eyes.”

“No.” She answered immediately. 

He sighed, “Fine,” and stepped to the side. 

Raven sped past him, concern and confusion growing. “What is going on-“ The object on the table caught her eye: a cake, covered in dark blue stain-your-teeth colored frosting. She spotted writing on it and curiously moved closer to read it. Purple icing, written in a neat hand, echoed what Nero was now telling her with a grin. 

“Happy birthday, Natalya.”


	3. Hot chocolate

Of all the things Tabitha Leon missed about being human, the ability to consume certain foods and drinks was high on her list. Grapes, coffee, alcohol… and chocolate. Oh, how she missed chocolate. Chocolate bars. Chocolate chip pancakes. Chocolate syrup drizzled over ice cream. And especially now during these cold winter months, hot chocolate. 

What she wouldn’t give for a nice, warm cup of hot chocolate right about now, with mini marshmallows floating in it and a dollop of whipped cream on top. Her claws slid out involuntarily and sunk into the couch cushion as she made frustrated noises that, unfortunately, came out sounding like cute little purrs. 

She was  _ this _ close to throwing caution to the wind and having a cup anyways. She wouldn’t mind feeling a bit sick, if it would mean just the smallest taste of that delightful chocolately beverage. But, while she didn’t care what happened to herself, she did care what happened to her cat; she didn’t want to do anything to damage her pet’s health if (when!) they were to switch back. 

All this stewed in the back of Ms. Leon’s head for a few days until she at last couldn’t take it anymore. 

“HIVEmind!” she yelled at her Blackbox, jabbing it with one paw. “Have someone bring me a mug of hot chocolate. But without any dairy. Or sugar. Or chocolate.”

The AI’s face bobbed on the screen for a few seconds, silently. “Would you like a glass of water?”

“No!” Her fur bristled ever so slightly along her spine. “Something else. I don’t care what, as long as it’s warm, and at my door within the next five minutes.”

And so, exactly four minutes and thirty-seven seconds later, she was crouched in front of her fireplace where a warm bowl of… something had been placed. It smelled delicious, at least. She gave it a few licks as a test and found herself pleasantly surprised. It was likely some sort of gourmet cat food, but the thought of eating actual animal food wasn’t enough to bother her now, not when it was  _ this _ good. 

It was no hot chocolate, but it was warm, and tasty, and would have to do for now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t you think she would refuse to eat straight up cat food, like kibble, and only eat stuff that could also be considered people food? Anyway my cats like this cat broth/cat soup food so I recommend it for all your kitties too. As an occasional treat


	4. Scarf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After the Contessa, Pike is the one I’ve spent the most time coming up with a backstory/headcanons for. I put in a little teeny tiny bit of that in this chapter. Love him waahhh

It was that time of the year again when Professor Pike conducted maintenance on the equipment stationed on the outside of the school. This included the security and defense systems as well as the computer systems in the Shroud launch pad. This also meant, however, spending the majority of the day out and about in the unusually chilly weather. 

“Of all days to be out here,” he muttered to himself, strolling through the crater landing pad, wearing a jacket and scarf over his customary scruffy lab coat. 

A cold wind kicked up and blew right past him. He winced at the chill and held an arm up to cover his face as his hair flew all around. His scarf got caught in the wind too, one end loosening from where it had been tucked into his jacket and flapping along with the breeze. 

“Woo!” He shuddered as it died down, teeth chattering from the cold. “Better hurry this up and get back inside!” He grabbed the loose end of his scarf, intending to tuck it back in and keep going, but paused for a moment with it in his hand. 

Made out of a thick wool, the scarf was a dark shade of blue, not quite navy blue, but close. There were stripes of almost the same color, just the slightest shade lighter, that were only barely noticeable when it was new and even less so now that the fabric had faded over time. The ends had a bit of fringe to them where they had started to unravel before he had done a quick patch-up job akin to slapping a piece of duct tape over a cracked vase: not pretty, but kept it held together. He rubbed a bit of fringe between his fingers with a loving smile. 

This scarf was precious to him, after all. His mother had knitted it for him many, many years ago when he was a young man. He recalled her presenting it to him one blustery winter afternoon, not unlike the current day. He had been about to venture out to the library when she stopped him at the doorway and held out the finished article of clothing. 

_ “Do you like the color? I chose it to complement your eyes.” _

_ “But Mother, my eyes aren’t that dark.” _

_ “I said ‘complement,’ not ‘match.’” She tossed it around his shoulders and tied it up, stepping back to beam at him. “So handsome!” _

He chuckled to himself, giving the warm fabric a squeeze. It was probably all he left of her by now. He hadn’t taken many personal or sentimental items when he left on his journey that ended here at H.I.V.E. Packed up his blueprints and machines and left her there alone. It always left him feeling a bit guilty, leaving her there to fend for herself, but she had constantly encouraged him to go forth and follow his dreams. 

_ “Go on, live your life! Don’t worry about me! Every bird has to leave the nest sometime.” _

Always encouraging him to go out into the world. Just like the day she tied the scarf around him and waved him off to the library. He continued to stare at the scarf, remembering when the news of her passing had been known to him, barely noticing another harsh wind that made his shoulders shake. 

“You’ll catch a cold if you keep standing there.” The digital voice snapped him back to reality. 

“Ah, yes.” He re-tied the scarf, tucked it back in his jacket, and removed the Blackbox from his pocket to see HIVEmind lit up on the screen. “Now, what was it I was doing?”

The wireframe face tilted to the side in a human-like expression of concern. “Are you feeling well, Father? You seem out of sorts.”

Pike laughed. “Aren’t I always?” He could imagine how nervous some people - Nero especially - would be at the AI’s mannerisms, but he had grown used to it. It had become a comfort, in fact. “Well, time to get back to work. I’m just about finished, aren’t I?”

“Maintenance is 32% completed.”

“Oh. Is it at least going to warm up anytime soon?”

“The temperature is going to continue to drop at least five degrees beginning in approximately-“

“Fine, fine, my goodness, aren’t you the bearer of bad news,” he joked. He slipped the Blackbox back in his pocket and felt the warmth of it through the fabric. He adjusted his scarf one last time to fit it snugly around his neck and got back to work, feeling much more energetic than before. 


	5. Music

The final class of the day had ended over an hour ago, and the hydroponics dome was empty of students. Even the Darkdoom boy had left earlier today, something about studying with his friends. As much as she enjoyed chatting with him about the lessons and his wide eyed interest in the plants, Ms. Gonzales was happy to see him running off and making friends. 

She had only a few tasks left, mainly checking the heat lamps and feeding tubes to ensure the plants were receiving their proper nutrients, and grading a few more homework assignments. But first…

She clicked on the dome’s speaker system and slipped a CD into the music player on her desk. The song sprung to life immediately: Shostakovich’s Second Waltz, a favorite of hers, and a favorite of the plants. Plants enjoyed classical music, studies had shown it helped them grow faster. And the biotechnology teacher felt that she knew exactly which songs they preferred. 

“Well hello there,” Ms. Gonzales cooed to a little jiaogulan plant whose vines had just begun to ascend out of their pot and cling to the wall. “Aren’t you coming in nicely.” She rubbed a leaf tenderly between her thumb and index finger, and gave the dirt a quick spritz of water from a spray bottle. 

She moved from plant to plant, misting their roots and showering them with complements. Humming the waltz as she went, she even gave a twirl or two, bobbing a few leaves up and down to join her in a dance, and curtsying to the more dangerous flowers. 

A bright orange hibiscus bloomed by the doorway. “Looking as gorgeous as ever,” she told it. Plants loved to be talked to - especially that hibiscus, she thought. It was quite vain, needing to stand by the doorway to demand everyone’s attention. “Don’t worry, I’ll put your favorite song on tomorrow.”

There was no better way to end a day than sharing a tune with her beloved plants. 


	6. Ornaments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my plan was to do the prompts in order but nevermind to that, lol. Time to skip around

“Don’t tell me you want something to remember us by, Brand,” Shelby told her. “Sure, we may have graduated, but we’ll still be seeing lots of each other.” Then she winked over her shoulder to the others. “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away from you nerds.”

Laura knew that, she explained. Still, it would be an adjustment from hanging around together almost all day, every day. And she wouldn’t dream of forcing them to stay here with her now, during the holidays, when they should all be spending much needed time with their families. All she wanted was a little ornament from each of them, she said, something she could put on her tree at home and smile at when she passed, and feel as if all her friends were with her. 

“Handmade. From the heart.”

Shelby clapped her hands together loudly. “You heard her, people, arts and crafts time!”

Shelby opened up a plain glass ornament and worked her magic. She twirled glue inside and tossed in a precise amount of glitter. She painted little designs on the outside while it dried, tiny hearts and swirls. A bit more glitter and a handful of fake diamonds (“Those are fake Shel, right? Aren’t they?.... Shel?”) tossed inside and the cap was popped back on. “Voila! Just as fabulous as I am!”

“This isn’t my best work, but I hope it will suffice.” Using a small chunk of firewood, Wing had went to work carving his own gift. He moved the knife slowly, purposefully, strips of wood falling to the floor as an animal shape began revealing itself. A tiny hole was poked in the top to fit a string, and he hand painted it with care. It’s adorable, Laura told him, but what exactly is it - a cat, a fox, a wolf? He stared stoically at her before shifting his gaze to the side. “....Yes.”

Franz traced his hand on construction paper, cut it out, and decorated it like a turkey. “The holiday is wrong, yes, but I’ve always wanted to do that.”

Nigel ripped a spare page out of the back of his notebook. Only a few stray lines from lectures had been jotted down, the rest of the paper filled with doodles from idle moments in class, finished tic tac toe boards, and a tally of every time someone had accidentally set something on fire in Pike’s class. He folded this sheet into a small origami rose, tying a string around the stem. 

Otto struggled the most. He started with clay, molding it back and forth between different shapes, none of which quite resembled anything. Next he tried Shelby’s decorating method. This was very short lived as he pinched the top off with too much force and shattered the ornament in his hands. (“Nothing’s hurt. Except my pride.”) A paper snowflake was his next route, until he noticed how its jaggedly cut edges and asymmetrical design paled in comparison to Nigel’s paper craft. 

He settled at last for gluing popsicle sticks in the general shape of a reindeer head with antlers, googly eyes and a pompom nose as decorations. 

“Here,” he thrust it into her hands, embarrassed. “I hope this helps you feel like we’re all close by.”

Laura giggled and held the reindeer tenderly to her chest. “I’m definitely going to feel like  _ you’re _ close by. Considering you’re coming with me and all.”

“What?”

She reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. “I overheard you talking about having nowhere to go. So, I want you to come with me, to my house. You shouldn’t have to be alone for the holidays, Otto.”

He found himself getting choked up. It was true, there wasn’t anywhere else for him to go. St. Sebastian’s had been the only other home he’d ever known, and it wouldn’t feel much like home now that all the familiar faces had come and gone, new children coming in, Mrs. McReedy moving on to a different job. His plan had been to spend his time alone traveling, wandering around and ending up wherever the road took him. Needless to say, he preferred Laura’s suggestion much more. 

Otto squeezed Laura’s hand back. “I’d like that very much.”


	7. Sweets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok it’s no longer December but I DO intend to finish the whole list

“Excuse me, Professor.” Nero stopped his elderly colleague and nodded in greeting. “Have you had the chance to update the blueprints for the Melitta project? Number One requested that I send them forward during this afternoon’s meeting and, as you know, it would be ill-advised to keep him waiting.”

“Ah yes, I finished that up this morning!” Pike pushed his glasses further up his nose and thought for a moment. “I may have it with me, let me just…” He patted the sides of his pants pockets, rummaged through his jacket, then hunted through each pocket lining the sides of his long, wrinkled lab coat. Nero watched, amused, as Pike revealed all sorts of objects he had tucked away, from pens and markers, to hard drives and gears, to a half eaten breakfast sandwich from earlier that day, and what appeared to be a small hairdryer. 

From the bottommost right hand pocket he procured a crinkled bag of peppermints. 

“Oh! Look at that.” He offered it to Nero with an enticing shake. “Want one?”

Nero frowned and eyed it with suspicion. “How long has that been in there?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t recall the last time I had mints.”

“None for me, thank you,” he quickly responded. 

Pike shrugged, “More for me then,” and popped two in his mouth, tucking the wrappers into another pocket. His fingers brushed against something else, which he snatched out with a flourish. “And this is… ah, here you are, Max!”

Nero took the paper from him and examined it carefully. “Yes, perfect. Thank you very much.”

“Of course, of course. If there’s nothing else you need…” the Professor trailed off and made his move to continue down the hall. 

“Actually-“ Nero stopped him. “Are… you going to finish that sandwich?”

“No, help yourself!” Pike scoured through his pockets again, having already forgotten where he had put it. 


End file.
